Biography of Capt. Joseph O. Pedigo [#136-169]

CAPT. JOSEPH O. PEDIGO, the popular mayor of Lebanon, springs from French lineage--the name being originally spelt Pergory, by the older members of the family. The founder of the family came to America at a period long antedating the war of the Revolution. Edward Pedigo, a Virginia soldier in the Revolutionary war, was the great-grandfather of Capt. Joseph O., and his holster and pistols have been handed down to the present generation, showing he was an officer and rode a horse. He moved with his family to Kentucky and settled in the wilds of what afterward became Barren county, near the head of Beaver creek, about 1790. He cleared a farm and became a substantial farmer and slave owner, and died on his homestead, aged 104 years, a member of the Baptist church. Joseph Pedigo, Sen., son of the above and grandfather of the captain, was born in Patrick county, Va., and was also a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He was a man of family, when he went to Kentucky with his father and other Virginians, and was the father of the following children: William, Nancy, Polly, John, Joseph, Henry, and Edward. Joseph Pedigo, Sen., cleared up a farm, on which he lived until he died of fever, aged sixty six years, a member of the Baptist church and a substantial farmer and slave owner.

Maj. John Pedigo, son of above, and father of our subject, was born in Patrick county, Va., and was about seven years of age when taken to Kentucky. He received a common school education and was reared a farmer. He was a great reader, and became an intelligent man, and was a colonel in the Kentucky state militia. He married Elizabeth Oldham, and to them were born five children, who lived to mature years: Edward, Charles, William F., Elizabeth and Mary. Mrs. Pedigo died, and he married Jane Polson, and to them were born two children, who also lived to maturity: Harriet and Willis. This wife also died and he married Jane P. Hobbs, daughter of John and Sarah Obanion, and widow of Dr. Hobbs; the Obanions were of Irish descent, and all old Kentucky families. By this wife nine children were born: Joseph, Robert, Sarah, Alford, Sanford, Elbert, Madison T., Josephine (died at eight years)) and John W. Col. John Pedigo was the father of eighteen children; one died an infant, one at eight years, and all others lived to be men and women, and all are living now, except Elizabeth and Sanford. Col. John Pedigo lived to the age of seventysix years and died in Kentucky in 1859. In politics he was an old-line whig, and afterward a republican and a strong Union man. He had four sons in the Civil war: Joseph O., in companiy G, Seventy-ninth Indiana vollunteer infantry; James A., in company G, Seventy-ninth, Indiana volunteer infantry; Sanford P., company A, Seventieth Indiana voluntter infantry, and Egbert T., company H, One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Indiana voluneer infantry.

Col. John Pedigo was a slave owner, his slaves having been left to him, but was an anti-slavery man in politics. He was a member, first of the Baptist and then of the Christian church. He had a high character and was respected by all. About the year 1842, Col. John Pedigo's slave Aaron married a slave woman of a neighbor's family, by whom he had five children. The owner, a Mr. Hamilton, sold his farm and was proposing to move to Missouri. Aaron wanted Col. John Pedigo to buy his wife and children, but he was opposed to the buyhing of slaves, and although Aaron was valued at $2,000, gave him his freedom papers and Aaron rode away to Missouri on his own horse.

Capt. Jos. Pedigo was born December 26, 1835, on his father's farm in Barren county, Ky. He learned to work on the farm, attended college at Danville, Ind., received a good education and became a school-teacher, and for two years folllowed this profession in Boone and Hendricks counties, Inc. He married, April 5, 1860, Mary E., daughter of Zenos and Agnes (Bridges) Darnall, an old settler of Indiana from Kentucky. To Capt. and Mrs. Pedigo was born one child, Cora O., wife of Frank P. Byrum, druggist of Leganon. At the beginning of the war, Capt. Pedigo was a farmer. On August 13, 1862, he enlisted at Indianapolis, in company G, Seventy-ninth Indiana volunteer infantry, and was made a sergeant on the organization of the company. He served in this capacity until the spring of 1864. In 1862 he was in the following battles: Stone River, Chickamaugua, Missionary Ridge and many numerous skirmishes on the route to and at Knozville. He was in the battle of White House Landing in June, 1864, and guarded a wagon train across the Chickahominy river, where a severe running fight was had. He was also in the battle of Perryville, and was later in the pursuit of Gen. Bragg. April 1, 1864, he went before the military examining board at Cincinnati, Ohio, and was commissioned as captain by the war department and assigned to the Twenty-eighth regiment, United States colored troops, as captain. July 30, 1864, he was in the siege of Petersburg, and was in the assaulting party when the explosion of the mine occurred. He remained in this command until the general march of Grant's army in March, 1865, on to Richmond. His regiment was the first infantry regiment to enter Richmond on April 3, and was reviewed by Abraham Lincoln on the next day. In June the command was sent to Indianola, Texas; from there they went to Corpus Christi to watch the Emperor Maximillian. capt. Pedigo was honorably discharged at Indianapolis, January 7, 1866, and returned to Leganon and has since been engaged in the practice of law and the real estate business, having read law after the war. In 1892 he was elected mayor of Leganon, an office which he still holds.

Fraternally, he is a member of Ben Adhem lodge, No. 472, I.O.O.F., of Lebanon, and has filled all the offices; also is a member of the Red Men, Winnebago tribe, No. 36, and has filled all the offices of the lodge; also a member of Magnolia encampment, I.O.O.F., No. 45, and has here also filled all the offices. He is a member of the G.A.R. Rich Mountain post, No. 42, and has held all the chairs, and a member of the Loyal legion; he is also a member of the Rebecca degree, I.O.O.F., No. 2, as is also his wife. Both Mr. and Mrs. Pedigo are members of the Christian church, and in politics Mr. Pedigo is a republican. No family in the country stands higher in the esteem of their neighbors.

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